5 Kitchen Decorating Style Trends

When looking to redecorate your kitchen you first have to decide want kind of kitchen decorating style you should go for. Certainly the choices that are now available will leave you baffled and bewildered but by remembering a few things about the kitchen the choice you make will be the right one for you. After the bathroom the kitchen is the most important room in any house and it should also be remembered that after the entrance hall to your home the kitchen has the most foot traffic occurring in it.

Below are provided a number of the more popular styles of kitchen that can be considered if you happen to be planning a remodeling or revamping of your current kitchen. It is also an idea to carry out some research as well by looking in house and home magazines, visiting kitchen showrooms, DIY stores, Kitchen Websites or even looking at your family and friends homes to see if they have a style that you like.

1. Country Style - Often called Early American or Colonial as it is designed to create a lovely quaint farm style kitchen. Often such kitchens will feature open shelves, pot racks and have the feeling of it being well lived in. Such kitchens are usually accented by the various colour schemes relating to the actual cabinetry of the units.

2. Contemporary - More and more often this style is being used because of its clean and simple lines. Often the cabinets are quite futuristic looking have no carvings or ornate features on them. With this style of kitchen the emphasis is put more on style and practical sophistication rather than beauty and that warm lived in feel.

3. Shaker - A simple and utilitarian style of kitchen that has flat panel doors, wooden countertops and brass handles (hardware).

4. French Country - Such kitchen designs based on this style are warm and inviting with lots of wood and soft colours being used. Not only do natural materials feature heavily in this style of kitchen, but you will find that the furniture used is large and rather ornate.

5. Arts and Crafts - Yet again another style of kitchen decoration which is becoming more popular because of the use of feature glass doors and natural wood tones which are finished off in a matt sheen effect. Certainly with this style of kitchen decoration there is the chance for you to be a little bit more artistic and creative in the design.

However, it is important when choosing a theme for you kitchen that you look at the designs and styles of the other rooms in your home to ensure that it fits in with the overall scheme of your home.

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Kitchen Decorating Ideas

More and more today, the kitchen is the most popular room in the house. No longer just the place where food is stored and prepared, it has become the focal point of home life. Kitchens used to be closed off from the rest of the house with walls and doors. Today, however, both in new houses and in remodeled older style homes, you can see into the kitchen from the living room, the family room, or both. Since the kitchen is constantly on view, kitchen decorating is an important part of home decor.

Some kitchens are treated as completely separate areas in plain view. Others are carefully decorated to blend in with adjoining spaces. In both cases, kitchen wall treatments are key to decorating this busy room. Paint continues to be a popular choice, but the range of "kitchen" colors has exploded. Cornflower blue, butter yellow, bright reds and lively greens are commonly used as a base for French country or Tuscan kitchen decorating themes. Wallpaper options run the gamut from contemporary designs to Americana. In addition, slate, saltillo and ceramic tiles once used exclusively on floors are being used on walls to add texture and visual interest.

Part of decorating a kitchen is creating an organized space. Whether you have a specific decorating theme or not, you'll want to give some thought to which kitchen accessories stay on the countertop and which are hidden in cupboards and drawers. Many cooks find a tall cylindrical container to hold frequently used cooking utensils keeps them from frantically rummaging through drawers. Appliances that get regular use, such as toasters and electric can openers are a good choice for countertop position, although most can be mounted under high cupboards.

Major appliance manufacturers recognize that their merchandise is a major visual element in any kitchen. Instead of just offering a choice between white, black, harvest gold or green, they produce an amazing range of "looks." From gleaming stainless steel, to retro 1950's look to standard white, you can choose refrigerators and stoves that blend with your kitchen decor. Some manufacturers can even help you match your appliances to your countertops for a seamless look.

As in any room in the house, it's the little touches that pull your kitchen's look together. Choose a "punch" color (usually contrasting to your walls) for window treatments and a throw rug. A tiled sink backsplash in this shade will add an extra bit of pizazz. Don't be afraid to add ornaments to the walls of your kitchen. Framed family photos, or even a collection of cookie cutters will add personality and warmth.

How To Make Your Modern Bedroom Decorating Idea Come To Life

Everyone wants a great up to date look in the bedroom and you might find yourself inspired by a modern bedroom decorating idea that you have seen on TV or in a decorator magazine. If you are planning on duplicating a room plan exactly, have an open mind as the probabilities of an exact replication will not be possible, but you can come close with some innovative ideas. But, if you observe the following basic elements of modern design, you can obtain a nicely designed bedroom.

Color

Unlike popular decorating schemes in the past, our modern era likes to concentrate on one or two colors for a smooth, sophisticated look. Browns and white are typical colors today. Black and white is a great choice for modern decor and it doesn't have to be boring if you spice it up with a bright color like red or yellow. One color that is very popular is chocolate brown and this can be used in varying shades of darkness. I chose these colors for two reasons. First, they go well with most modern furniture pieces, and second, they give the room a nice warm tone.

Pattern

The rugs and fabrics used in modern bedroom decor don't rely on the fancy patterns of the past. Solid colors can be made more interesting by combining them with different textures. Not all patterns can be used when going for a modern design; geometric patterns are your best choice.

Furniture

The Modern style calls for furniture with clean, simple lines. The darker shades of wood are preferred for this decor style. The overall look will be enhanced if you avoid rounded lines. No need to be fancy: stick to straight lines and simple details. Brushed metal is a great, simple hardware look.

Accessories

Less is more with modern design so keep accessories to a minimum. When looking for the perfect finishing touch, experiment with long-lined glass vases and single flowers. Sparingly place a few items around the room rather then filling it with clutter. Steer clear of anything ornate or frilly in your modern bedroom. Try adding a modern work of art to your new room--one that really enhances the colors around it.

With these tips, any modern bedroom decorating idea can come to life. Choose a style you love and recreate it in your own bedroom for a unique look that is all your own.

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Cheap Bedroom Decorating Ideas

Did you ever wake up one morning, look around your bedroom and want to pull the cover back over your head? Join the club. Humans are one of the few creatures that frequently rearrange and re-do their living space. Bedrooms are the most frequent redecorating candidate. Every so often, for reasons unknown to many, we look at that cozy nest we carefully created and think "ugh." It's boring, it's outdated, I'm sick of that color. Grand visions of a totally gutted and remodeled space may fill your mind, until you look at your bank balance. Don't be glum! Redecorating doesn't need to cost an arm and a leg!

The quickest way to a new look is a splash of paint. Even if you use the same color (because you had paint left over), a fresh coat of color reinvigorates the room, makes it look cleaner, newer. If you've grown tired of your wall color, choose a new one, drape protective cloths over the furniture and get rolling. The endorphins pumping through your veins after painting the whole room may just fire up some other decorating ideas for your bedroom.

One reason a fresh coat of paint reinvents a room is that the different color gives the space a whole new identity. The same idea applies to your bedding. If your budget is extremely limited, you might start by adding new pillow shams. Usually sold as a separate piece from comforters, sheets, or pillowcases, a sham is a highly decorative pillow covering. When making the bed in the morning, you slip your covered pillow into the sham-remove the sham at night before you go to sleep. If you find a great deal on pillow shams, buy a bunch-you can fill them with plain foam pillows and give your bed a luxurious look by piling them on.

A new comforter or bedspread is another way to redecorate your bedroom inexpensively. Check local malls for discount linen stores, or browse the Internet for great deals on beautiful, but cheap comforters and bed skirts.

A simple way to create a coordinated look without spending a lot of money is to use bed sheets to make window treatments. Often, comforters are sold in "bed sets," which contain the comforter, as well as a fitted sheet, flat sheet and pillowcases. Since you sheets will usually be covered by the comforter, you can use the fitted and flat sheets as material to frame bedroom windows. If you don't sew, use the special "no-sew" fabric glue sold in craft and fabric stores to hem a nice edge. In a pinch, you can hold a hem using a hot glue gun.

Decorating or redecorating a bedroom is often a matter of changing one or two elements. You can have a new look even if you don't feel up to the task of choosing colors or shopping for the best bedding deal. Sometimes, all that's needed is to re-arrange the furniture. And if that simple change leads to others, good for you!

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Easy Bedroom Decorating Ideas

Decorating your bedroom can be a great way to give your self a tranquil retreat, yet so many people neglect this room. Often times people focus on the public rooms of the home – the kitchen, living room and guest bathroom but the bedroom is your own private sanctuary and you owe yourself to decorate it!

If decorating your bedroom seems like an overwhelming task, you might want to take it easy and make small changes over a period of time instead of one huge change. On way to ease yourself into decorating the bedroom is to start with the walls. Artwork can make a huge difference in the look of your bedroom and is one decorating idea that you can easily reverse if the look doesn't work.

What is the first thing you notice when you walk into someone's home? The walls, right? Walls enclose the home, giving a thematic impression. So, if your walls are empty you've got to get to work to populate them. Wall hangings can be expensive, but that's only if you purchase something by a famous dead artist. You can create your own artwork without any art instruction whatsoever. First, you have to consider your theme. If you have a Victorian, feminine or shabby chic bedroom theme then you will want floral or feminine artwork. A modern bedroom theme will look best with prints in sleek frames. A tropical look? Then get some jungle style prints or prints of exotic animals and birds.

Do you have hundreds of pictures and just don't know what to do with them? If the idea of a personalized bedroom picture wall appeals to you, you could arrange the photos into a huge wall photo collage. Examples include pictures of exotic places, weddings, and children growing up. If there is a teenager in your home, their bedroom is probably home to a huge collection of music CDs. They can create their own wall collage using the cover art from their CDs. Although you will have more fun creating your collage yourself, there are companies that will take care of this for you. The cost ranges from about $50 for an 8x10 to $150 for a 20x24 wall collage.

If your bedroom contains foliage, you might want to consider pressing leaves or flowers and framing your work; the best of these are flat. You basically place the leaves or flowers in a book to allow them to dry flat. They are ready for your wall hanging when they become crisp. This shouldn't take longer than a week or two. After the items are pressed, you will just need to mount the artwork and hang it on your wall.

When you decorate your bedroom with artwork you are only limited by your imagination. Don't be afraid to experiment. As mentioned previously, artwork is easily reversible. So, be imaginative and creative and design your artwork.

Lee Dobbins